Illinois
Illinois launches program to speed up vehicle titling process
(WIFR) – For the first time in Illinois, the Secretary of State’s office is making Electronic Lien and Titling (ELT) available when buying a car.
Illinois joins 25 other states that have active ELT programs. The new program allows vehicle titles to be processed, stored, and released digitally, rather than through paperwork. The new program is designed to eliminate paperwork, physical document mailing, or in-person visits to a DMV facility.
“The process has gotten so complicated now, the delivery times, just going through the papers and making sure that the disclosures and everything are taken care of properly, it can take upwards of an hour,” said Gordon Tormohlen, the president of Tormohlen’s Good People Automotive.
The Illinois General Assembly first approved ELT in 2000, but outdated technology delayed full implementation. In 2023, the Secretary of State’s Office was able to create the infrastructure to allow the program to launch.
“So doing e-filing and having e-titles and so forth will cut back on the amount of time that you process that paperwork,” said Tormohlen.
In a release, the Secretary of State’s office says the program will:
- Reduce fraud by preventing “title-washing” and fraudulent lien releases when applying for a new title
- Instead of customers waiting for lienholders to search through physical title records that may be stored for years, lienholders can now mark the title as paid, and the Secretary of State will send the released title to the owner
- Allow an individual purchasing a vehicle at a dealership to complete an online title application that determines whether the lender has opted in for ELT. If they have, an electronic copy of the paperwork is sent to the Secretary of State for review and a third-party vendor stores the electronic record until it is time to release the title
“It’s going to take awhile to get there. I mean if you think about the number of vehicles that are titled in the state of Illinois right now, it’s got to be millions and so to go from paper titles to e-titles on those it’s going to be a process that will work out through several years which I think is beneficial because it will also give the state time to perfect their process,” said Tormohlen.
The Secretary of State’s office does not charge for this service but some ELT service providers may charge fees to participating lienholders.
The first phase of the Illinois ELT program is focusing on transitioning new titles to the electronic format. The Secretary of State’s office says the future phases of the program may allow lien holders to convert existing paper titles to the electronic format and enable vehicle owners to hold their titles electronically on their phones.
More information about the ELT program can be found here.
Copyright 2025 WIFR. All rights reserved.
Illinois
Decorated Illinois guard Josh Gesky met with Saints ahead of draft
Once again, the NFL pre-draft circuit is in full effect, as teams spread out their staff all over the country to try and ensure they view as many pro days as physically possible. With some of the most substantial schools being next up on the schedule, it is going to draw national attention from the media, especially with results from the top prospects and potentially some passing drills from the quarterbacks.
Among the plentiful news coming out of these events is some intriguing meetings from the New Orleans Saints, with one of the most recent being Illinois guard Josh Gesky, who they met with at the school.
Gesky had an extremely impressive 2025 season when it comes to the metrics, allowing only 1 sack and 12 pressures, while only having 1 penalty tied to his name. While his run blocking left a bit to be desired, he has shown promise there in previous years, and it is something he has been solid at in various years.
At 6-foot-5 and 335 pounds, he has great size and has quite a few distinctions during his time at Illinois. He was listed as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar in 2023, an Academic All-Big Ten from 2022 to 2025, and was an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention from 2023 to 2025. These types of things certainly factor into potential draft selections, and with the Saints needing another guard, Gesky could be an option for them in 2026.
Illinois
How to buy Illinois Final Four gear, hats, shirts, hoodies, more
No. 3 Illinois knocked off No. 9 Iowa on Saturday night in Houston, now they’re advancing to the Final Four in the men’s NCAA Tournament.
The Fighting Illini pulled away late and ended their the Hawkeye’s Cinderella run in the Elite Eight with a 71-59 victory.
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Illinois fans know this is special, it’s the team’s first Final Four appearance since 2005, so now it’s time to celebrate.
Get the gear the players wore on the court, including Illinois Final Four hats, Illinois Final Four shirts, and more.
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Illinois Final Four hat
Illinois Final Four shirt
Illinois Final Four game location
Illinois will play its Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Get your Illinois Final Four NCAA Tournament tickets now.
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Illinois Final Four appearances
The last time the Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball team made the Final Four was in 2005. They also made it in 1989, 1952, 1951 and 1949.
When is the Final Four?
The 2026 NCAA Tournament concludes with the Final Four on Saturday, April 4 and the National Championship game on Monday, April 6. Saturday’s games are scheduled for 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET respectively, while the National Championship game is set to tip at 8:30 p.m. ET on Monday, April 6.
March Madness 2026 full schedule for the men’s tournament
- March 19-20: First round
- March 21-22: Second round
- March 26-27: Sweet 16
- March 28-29: Elite 8
- April 4-5: Final Four
- April 6: National Championship
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Illinois
Champaign places temporary restrictions on alcohol sales as city gears up for Illini-Hawkeyes game
Saturday, March 28, 2026 1:30PM
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WLS) — As the Fighting Illini take on the Iowa Hawkeyes in the Elite Eight, there will be new liquor laws in place in Champaign.
The mayor signed an executive order, citing concerns to public health.
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After 3 p.m. Saturday, bars and restaurants cannot serve alcohol in glass containers.
And retailers are banned from selling packaged alcohol or to-go cocktails after 6 p.m.
Alcohol deliveries are also being banned after 6 p.m.
The restrictions will remain in place until 2:30 a.m. Sunday.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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